China is considering putting up an automated underwater base in Manila Trench for "scientific purposes," an article from the South China Morning Post said. According to Maki Pulido's report on "State of the Nation Address with Jessica Soho" on Thursday, Manila Trench is an oceanographic feature stretching from the Lingayen Gulf to the island of Mindoro in West Luzon. China's ambitious project of creating an undersea station comes with the plan of deploying robot submarines as the deep waters have extremely high pressure. Manila trench is situated near the nine-dash line in China's map which marks the territories they claim in the South China Sea. The nine-dash line was previously invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration but Beijing refused to recognize the ruling.

China to put up automated underwater base in Manila trench. (2018, December 1-2). The Daily Guardian, p. 12.